This week's WINE OF THE WEEK is Kunde Family Estate, Chardonnay Nu 2007.
Now, if you like sweet, caramel-y, very soft and way-buttery Chardonnay, you won't like this one.
BUT if you like fresh, crisp Chardonnay, a wine in which you can taste the fruit - crisp apples and pe...

One of the ways I've learned about wine, oddly enough, is to read wine books. Of course you can read lots of technical books - on home winemaking, wine courses such as Jancis Robinson's, or tasting books such as Hugh Johnson's. And for those at the apex of wine gee...

Visiting wineries is one of my favorite pastimes, and I suspect, since you're visiting this site, that it may be one of yours, too.
Usually I go somewhat far from New Jersey to do that - Sonoma or Spain, Sicily or Sancerre. Yet right in my own backyard, or perhaps more correctly ...

I had the pleasure of having lunch - and more importantly, tasting wines - last week with the winemaker of Chile's Vinedos Emiliana along with the estate's owner, Jose Guilisasti.
I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but I was pleasantly, even astonishingly, surprised at how good t...

Champagne would probably be one of the most famous wines today. Admit it, you probably have used champagne and wine almost interchangeably at some point in your life. It's fame is quite understandable because champagne, unlike some wines, is always on the table during festivities. Come to think of it. When you celebrate your birthday, what do you usually drink aside of course from colas? On New Year's Eve? On your best friend's wedding? Champagne, right?

A Quick Glance at the History

Champagne, aside from being a "celebration wine" is world-famous for being a sparkling wine. But Champagne, as we know it today, was originally just a "wine" until of course it adapted the name of the region where it originated.

Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk, was widely regarded as the Champagne inventor, but history would tell that he was only instrumental to the development that occurred in the Champagne-making process. His contributions include cork usage, blending of different grapes from different vineyards, and clarification strategies.

Riesling is a white wine variety with its origins coming from Germany. This variety is quite ancient and may be considered as a result of Gouais Blanc and another type of vine. Today, many Germans and wine lovers from around the world continue to visit various locations and appellations that specialize in Riesling wines. This type of white wine is known for its high acidic element, resulting into a crisp flavor. A glass of Riesling may invoke fruity flavors that resemble apple, peach, grapefruit, and honey.

As Riesling wines age over the years, it is possible for the wines to develop an aroma that closely resembles the smell and taste of petroleum. However, this may be just a matter of preferences since you have to get accustomed to the taste first before truly becoming a Riesling wine lover.

If you love to know stuff about the history of this ancient grape, you can visit Bremen, Germany since its townhall has a good collection of vintage Riesling wines.

Quite often a good wine is a great wine when paired with the right food. Some food and wine pairings are quite obvious where as others are often illusive. Are you planning a dinner and want to see what wine would go best with it? Have you had a great meal that was perfectly paired with a wine? Please share it so we can all enjoy the wine pairing.

I think it can be universally agreed that Burgundy is the one wine region throughout the world responsible for the greatest joy and deepest despair amongst wine lovers the world over.

Just say the names: Gevrey Chambertain, Volnee, Pommard, Nuit-Saint-Georges and of course Vosne-Romanee. To a follower of the Burgundy way, these famous regions' names are so much more than just dots on a map.

The main grape of the Bourgogne is the pinot noir. This most delicate of grapes requires more work, more blood, sweat, tears and T.L.C. than any other. In Burgundy, the best producers have been striving to bring the best out of this wondrous grape for over a thousand years, with some truly breathtaking results (and some, it must be said, not so).

Although 90% of the wines made in Burgundy are red, some of the greatest and most respected whites of the world are also lovingly crafted in this region also. Of these, virtually all made from the chardonnay varietal, two of the most notable and celebrated examples are Puligny Montrachet or Meursault.

Although Burgundy lacks the consistency of its counterparts throughout the world, there can be no doubt that thanks to a combination of the experienced producers and the unique terroir, nurtured carefully over countless generations, the Burgundians are still producing some of the best pinot noir in the world.